Nature's Guide to Love and Loss
by EmilyD6298
Summary: Post Eclipse, Jacob/OC, Seth/OC Raina has lived many years without anyone by her side, however all that changes when a mysterious, handsome boy named Seth shows up at her new foster home looking for a job. Everything seems to be perfect until Seth's best friend Jacob shows up at the house and imprints on his first love, all the while an unknown danger lurks in the dark.


Chapter 1

Raina's POV

"Raina it is 12:30 in the afternoon and you have slept through morning tea!" Cindy's high-pitched voice sounded from the other side of my bedroom door. I grunted and covered my head with one of the many pillows I've hoarded into my bed over the past month.

I have never quite believed the success stories I have heard about the foster system and adoption in general; seemingly stuck at the age of 16 means I have been in more homes then I care to admit. My newest "adventure", as my foster advisor likes to say, takes place in the home of Cynthia and Marc Green. Cynthia (Cindy as she so graciously allows me to call her) and Marc reside in northern California in a house that could probably fit up to 20 more foster kids, though of course they only needed one for a tax cut.

Eventually I rolled out of my bed and slipped down the stairs as quietly as I could in order to avoid anyone who could possibly want to talk to me. The Green residence holds 10 residential workers or minions, as I like to think of them. Cindy cringes at the thought of cooking, cleaning, or anything else a stay at home wife would usually feel the desire to do while her husband is at work providing for her every need. But I won't complain, as a homeschooled foster freak, cooks and maids are the best friends a girl could ask for. As I step into the kitchen, Martha, the head cook looks up at me and smiles.

"Morning Sugar, I prepared you the usual." She says as she slides me a plate of my favorite breakfast, vegan pancakes. Being vegan is not a good trait to have as a foster kid, I guess people just assume that we foster kids should just be thankful that we are given a plate of anything and should not be picky about food in general. Thankfully Martha has always been more than happy to comply with my dietary needs.

" Thanks Martha" I give her a half smile while grabbing my pancakes and heading to my favorite corner to eat. I sit down about to enjoy my breakfast when Cindy hobbles in on yet another new pair of shoes that she has no idea how to walk in.

"Really Raina I have no clue why you insist on sitting on the floor to eat, it is just so unsanitary, and we have perfectly good dining rooms throughout the manor."

"I'm fine Cindy, really I'm just more comfortable this way anyways, always have been." I retort back with a mouthful of pancakes.

"Chew and swallow please! If you are going to be known as a Green, dear then I insist on you acting like one." She gives my pajamas a once over and then glances at her five thousand dollar watch. "Raina please get out of those rags! I reminded you yesterday that we have possible yard workers coming over for interviews at 1:00 and you look like you just stepped off the movie set of Annie." She screeches and at much to my dismay she snatches my pancakes away, and pushes me towards the stairs. I call out another thanks to Martha as a climb up the stairs skipping every other step.

My room is probably one of the nicer one's I've seen over the years. Besides the deathly pink color of the walls, it is spacious and has a large glass window that overlooks the tall trees of the California forest. I grabbed a simple summer dress and headed to my bathroom to brush my hair. Looking at myself in the mirror has always been a tedious task, I am not ugly per say, I just have trouble seeing anything good in myself after being tossed around for so many years. I have wavy caramel hair that reaches the top of my lower back and greenish blue eyes. I have a very average shaped body besides the fact that I stand at a very short 4'10''. "Cute", has always been that dreaded word that defines me. Sure guys think I'm good looking but what horny teenager doesn't think a girl with a C cup and long hair is attractive. I start to hum the songs that my mother would sing to me as baby while I detangle the rats nest I call my hair, and the reminder of her voice immediately calms me. I don't remember much of my mother, only that she had the same turquoise eyes as me and I inherited her voice that could get the angriest of wolves to lie down and listen to her. The sound of feet climbing the back staircase that leads to my room snaps me out of my bliss as fast as my mother's songs entrapped me in it. In a rush to escape another nagging session by Cindy about how I am undressed still, I slip on my dress and quickly make my way towards the door. I slam it open and started towards the stairs as I smack my body into what I can only describe as a brick wall. I fall backwards painfully onto my butt and start to rub my lower back when I hear a deep gasp.

"Oh shit, I'm so sorry, I should really watch where I'm going, I was just looking for a place to pee, did you know that the downstairs bathroom has a gold toilet, I CANNOT pee on a gold toilet, that is just not manly of me and all the guys back home would give me hell for it! Do you know where the bathroom is up here, I couldn't find it and then I ran into you… and oh crap you are still on the ground! Here let me help you up".

I look up at a huge hand coming towards me offering to help me and reluctantly I take it. The boy easily lifts me up with no energy. "Its really not a problem, I know this place is easy to get lost in" I say as I look up at what I can only describe as a Greek god. The boy is easily a foot and a half taller than me and looked like he was sculpted in a playgirl factory. He has on a pair of jean cutoffs and a shirt that is deliciously too tight for him.

"I'm still really sorry for knocking you over", he said as he once again reached out a hand to me, but this time looking for me to shake it. "I'm Seth."

"Raina", I finally manage to say back as I take his hand and blush for the first time in what must have been 160 years.


End file.
